Stockton Sailing Club Rig
It's not exactly what you're considering, but here in the California Delta, the Stockton Sailing Club has been racing C-27s for some 25 years or so with a modified rig. The rig we use has a self-tending club jib (about 90%) and a modified, tall rig main. The main has been modified by lowering the boom by 18", thereby adding extra sail area to the main. This can be a head-banger, but the boats sail well. The first reef gives you a little smaller than an unmodified tall rig and pretty close to the sail area of a standard rig. When sailing with a cockpit full of neophytes, I usually put in the first reef. I'm not sure how this sail area would compare to what you're considering. Our modified boats develop a little more weather helm than normal, but it is not too bad. Kame Richards of Pineapple Sails out of SF is familiar with our mod.
